THE IRISH PROBLEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1922, Page 3

THE IRISH PROBLEM.

GABLE NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

making progress

(Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, June H

Hon. Lloyd George states he is very pelased with the progress made at Downing Street Conference with the representatives of the Irish Provisional Government. The conference resumes on Monday.

BORDER TROUBLES

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS. (Received this day at 9.50 a.tn.) LONDON Juno 10. A LondGnderrv newspaper asserts that youths on “the Donegal border, operating against Ulster, ate aeclistoined to visit Londonderry weekly and draw 1 the unemployment dole paid by the Northern Government, and then return to their business of looting trains. The press demands that the military shall clear the salient where these freebooters are operating", similarly to the Pettigo-Belfat salient. , A deputation from Pettigo including the Rector, waited on the North Irish Miniter for Home Affairs and urßed ‘that troops he allowed to remain, otherwise the Protestant population u ould inevitably leave The Rector, who was a war prisoner in Germany, saul ra the interview that the German was a. gent e man compared with the raiders, who previous to the British occupation came storming down on Pcttigo armed to the teeth, farm boy,s of eighteen or twenty brandishing revolvers, flourishing rifles threatening life, commandeering goods, wantonly destroying property, looting everywhere and behaving more like savages than civilised beings. Several loyalists who were earned off when the raiders retreated are still prisoners.

Irish position

UNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS

(Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) f LONDON, .Tune 11. i The “Observer” points out that De j Valera remains the domestic issue with ; Southern Ireland, but the British Go-, vernment places its trust m Collins an Griffith to overcome their own doim stu difficulties. There is an increasing, tendenev in political circles, both in , London'and Dublin, to believe Collins and Griffith are acting with sincere desire to put the Treaty into .execution Collins’ latest declaration m appealing to his countrymen to use methods ot ; conciliation, instead of force, is regarded an likely to turn the scale at the forthcoming elccfiohs. lmt it >-s askec will He Valera accept any constitution which complies with the terms of the Treaty He might conceivably break up the coalition before the elections though his agreement with Collins and Griffith has already given him a number of uncontested seats, and anything might happen at contested elections with the situation so' confused even it , the extremists forebear to employ methods of intimidation.